Krishna spoke to Sanjaya not from mere emotion but from a depth of anguish. He recalled how the wicked Dussasana had dragged Draupadi into the royal assembly by her hair, ruthlessly. Dhritarashtra, though hearing the foul speech and witnessing the savage act, remained silent, enduring the heart-rending cries of a virtuous woman without intervening. Later, he sent agents to inquire after the Pandavas’ welfare and shed tears, like a king who could drown them in the cold waters of indifference yet display hollow compassion. When Draupadi was dragged into the court, he did not restrain the outrage; she stood in grief yet saved herself by her own resolve, partly rescuing the Pandavas from an unimaginable humiliation and the stripping of their honour. Krishna declared that Dhritarashtra could not claim to have saved her, for it was her own strength that preserved the sons of Pandu from disgrace beyond measure, a shame no Kshatriya warrior could endure.
Krishna then asked Sanjaya whether he had not heard Karna’s cruel and piercing words. Karna had mocked Draupadi, declaring that her husbands were no longer worthy, for they had been defeated at dice and had abandoned her. Addressing her scornfully as the lotus-eyed woman, he told her to choose another dear husband. Those words struck Arjuna like arrows and suffocated him day after day, though he restrained himself from retaliation. Dussasana and others also taunted the Pandavas, calling them fruitless and devoid of courage, asking who among them was truly chivalrous and what honour they possessed in such a fallen state. The memory of these vile words remained vivid, so bitter that they made any pact seem impossible and any alliance unthinkable.
Yet Krishna declared that peace was still possible. If he could persuade the Pandavas and impress upon the Kauravas the wisdom of parting with the rightful share of wealth and kingdom, the Kauravas might be saved from a savage death in war. Justice and skill stood with him, and if he presented the matter rightly, they might listen. But if they chose another path they would be consumed not by the arrows of the Pandavas but by the fire of their own greed.
Krishna illustrated the nature of both sides through vivid imagery. Duryodhana, he said, was a mighty tree of anger: Karna its trunk, Shakuni its branching shoots, Dussasana its flowers and fruits, and Dhritarashtra its deep taproot. In contrast, Dharmaraja was a vast tree of virtue: Arjuna its strong trunk, Bhima its mighty branch, Nakula and Sahadeva its blossoms and fruits, and the Brahmins together with the Vedas its nourishing roots. One must examine which of these trees was truly fertile and beneficial. He added another metaphor, saying that Dhritarashtra and his sons were like a forest, while the Pandavas were lions. A forest without lions would be cut down for firewood, yet lions outside a forest would also face danger; thus, forest and lions must exist together for mutual good.
Krishna therefore advised that Dhritarashtra place the Pandavas on the same path as his own sons and treat them with equal regard. He himself would represent the Pandavas in the effort for alliance, and according to Dhritarashtra’s response they would determine their future course. This message was asked to be conveyed faithfully to the king.
Having heard Krishna’s words, Sanjaya turned to Dharmaraja and said that his purpose had been fulfilled and that he now sought permission to depart. Bowing to Krishna, Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva, he asked whether any improper or harsh word had escaped him. Dharmaraja replied that Sanjaya had spoken clearly and wisely before all, without rashness or impropriety. No harsh, futile or immoral word had come from his tongue, proving him a man of ethical restraint worthy to stand beside Vidura in such responsibilities.
Dharmaraja then carefully instructed Sanjaya on the messages to deliver at Hastina. Upon arriving, he should first greet the venerable Vedic Brahmins and seek their blessings. He must then pay respectful salutations to Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa, and prostrate before Dhritarashtra on behalf of the Pandavas. He should inquire after the welfare of Duryodhana, Dussasana, the children, and the women of the household, embrace Shalya and Vidura warmly, and greet Bahlika, Somadatta, and Bhurisrava with joy. He must also convey regards to the aged elders, the gathered kings, and warriors such as Krithavarma, Karna, Shakuni, and Saindhava. Each person should be addressed with the proper posture and speech suited to humility, kinship, friendship, or affection, and even the servants should not be neglected. To all he should convey that Krishna desired friendly relations and their protection.
Dharmaraja further instructed Sanjaya on what to say before the full royal assembly. He was to remind them that by Dhritarashtra’s grace, the Pandavas had once lived without hardship, honoured in childhood with their father’s throne and royal dignity. They had been well cared for then, but now they were neglected and exposed to peril. It was not fitting for wise men to remain silent about such conduct or rejoice in it. Living together in harmony was better than granting peace to enemies while strife grew within the family.
He directed Sanjaya, in particular, to address Bhishma, the great sustainer of Shantanu’s lineage, urging him to forge an alliance and save the kin from blame, injustice, and death. If he acted thus, he would earn the applause of the world and the admiration of kings and Brahmins alike. Dharmaraja wished it to be declared that although he had endured great atrocities with humility and patience, he had no desire to approach the path of war.
Before all, and particularly in the hearing of Duryodhana, Sanjaya was to declare that Dharmaraja had tolerated the exile of the Pandavas and the cruel dragging of Draupadi by her hair only to avert disaster. He did not desire another’s wealth but sought merely the rightful share that belonged to them, so that all might live together in harmony. Their lack of interest in war was itself a blessing for the Kuru house. Yet greed burned like fire in Duryodhana’s mind; though others could not restrain it, Krishna had stepped forward to guide them.
Krishna affirmed that while the Kauravas’ warriors were famous knights, the true strength of the Pandavas lay in virtue. With Krishna beside them, they were unconquerable. As the eldest brother, Dharmaraja requested that neither side dishonour him, but that peace and restraint prevail. He wished that all might prosper without forcing him toward war. Even if a full share of the kingdom could not be granted, certain territories—or at least one place for each brother—would satisfy him and ensure the safety of all assembled kin, preserving harmony among the Kuru, Panchala, and Yadava realms.
Sanjaya replied with folded hands that he would carry out every word exactly as spoken, in letter and in spirit. Arjuna then added that Sanjaya, his friend since childhood, knew well that the Pandavas had never abandoned righteousness. Dharmaraja’s kindness, though sometimes lacking sharpness, had restrained Bhima as a goad restrains a mighty elephant, and it could do so again, leaving no need for thoughts of war.
With Dharmaraja’s permission, the Pandavas then honoured Sanjaya with great hospitality. They bathed him, served him fine food, adorned him with garlands and fragrant sandal paste, and presented him with fine garments, gems and jewels before bidding him farewell.
Thus, the sage Vaishampayana narrated to King Janamejaya this remarkable account, revealing Dharmaraja’s gentle yet firm counsel to both kin and adversaries, and Krishna’s clear and resolute commitment to justice and peace.
